Pistol Recommendations for Hiking

[P7M13]

Cellphone!!!!

One year we were coming back on the 7Mile trail from the EOR high lakes down to the Lostine River Two Pan pack station. The last mile is very steep and my toes kept sliding into the front of my worn out boots. Not fun. I thought sure we were going to need someone to pack me out of there but we finally made it. Didn't have a phone anyway.

Some Most of the areas I get into as a volunteer ranger have zero cell reception. I've considered getting a satellite phone, but I'd rather spend the money on ammo and other stuff.

 

[Koda]

Thought maybe it was an REI gimmic to save weight or something. I'm still boggled by the concept of pants without belt loops...

Most of the hiking pants have some way to suspend them from sagging, but yeah they are designed primarily for wearing under a pack hip belt.

Ive found that The North Face makes a few hiking pants with proper belt loops, I think I have 1 pair ive ever found made by REI too. The loops are thin and light but sewn in good and will fit a 1.5" gun belt.... Syn5hetic fast drying and even convertable to shorts and with lots of cargo pockets. The normal belt loops are harder to find but are out there. And if you dont mind camo, I bought a sweet pair of Sitka hunting/hiking pants, most of the hunting brands have proper belt loops

 

[bbbass]

Some Most of the areas I get into as a volunteer ranger have zero cell reception. I've considered getting a satellite phone, but I'd rather spend the money on ammo and other stuff.

Even if you can make it up to a ridge?

 

[bbbass]

And if you dont mind camo,

Blasphemer! Sacrilege!!!!

 

[Koda]

Some Most of the areas I get into as a volunteer ranger have zero cell reception. I've considered getting a satellite phone, but I'd rather spend the money on ammo and other stuff.

Im seeing a huge improvement in remote locations over even just 10 years ago. If a place doesnt have cell reception, you can sometimes still get a text thru...

 

[Koda]

Most of the wife's stuff. LOL.

Hmmm, let's see... stove, fuel, wind screen, tent, sleeping bag, Quallofill quilt, 2 sleeping pads, bowls, pots, utensils, kitchen kit, spit kit, food, fishing gear, whisk broom, hand trowel, water, water filter, emergency kit, space blankets, warming packs, and an inflatable 1person boat. And a pistol on the belt, with some snakeshot loads and a bit of extra ammo. I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

You don't carry that stuff?

Edit: extra socks, undies, raingear, gloves, etc.

In full disclosue Ive spent a lot of money on UL baseweight gear, my pack,tent,bag combined is about 9lbs total. The UL stuff is expensive though, so its not fair for me to critique others setups, my bad.

 

[thorborg]

Apparently as luck would have it, (according to some) after backpacking thousands of miles over 40 years in as much wilderness and away from civilization as I could find from Prince Rupert to the California border, the only aggressive animal (human or otherwise) was a day hikers dog when I neared a trail head on Santiam pass (1972). Clamped to my ankle, the little pit jackal was called off just as I was to put a 30gr 22 in his brain. The 10 inch Danner packers I was wearing kept me on the trail moving away from the trail head and "people" as fast as I could albeit I had to make camp soon to nurse a bruised and sore ankle and repair some boot strings..
The first 22 pistol I bought in 1962, a 6 inch H & R Sportsman 999 (circa 1941) (along with my collapsible fish pole) has provided many a tasty supplements to my dehydrated fare every where I have been (except for Canada)
Ok, I had some trouble with yellow jackets in Canada, but that don't count, and a cornered badger can get real nasty but that was my fault for purposely (and stupidly) boxing him in.

 

[bbbass]

In full disclosue Ive spent a lot of money on UL baseweight gear, my pack,tent,bag combined is about 9lbs total. The UL stuff is expensive though, so its not fair for me to critique others setups, my bad.

No, it's cool. All good.

We started with 25lb packs, all backpack weight gear and food, etc. We slowly added things that we wanted or needed. Like doubling up on mattress pads. Taking some Lipton noodles. Things like that. Seriously, most of our gear was UL type stuff. But little things add up. The fishing boat was well worth packing in because of the Kamloops trout that lived in the little lake we liked to go to. And in August that was not only refreshing to lay out in the water, but also the only place to get away from the black flies and biters.

 

[P7M13]

Even if you can make it up to a ridge?

Im seeing a huge improvement in remote locations over even just 10 years ago. If a place doesnt have cell reception, you can sometimes still get a text thru...

I've found some improvements, but what I really notice is the difference is made by the reception of the specific phone and your carrier. I've been on ATT since the mid '90s, and NOTHING can beat the reception of the old Blackberry phones. I was coming down from the Red Saddle on Jeff and my phone rings.
As far as "high on a ridge" it really depends on what side of the ridge. Many places in the Coastal range and Cascades have zero reception. Hike to the next ridge, et viola! - 4 bars reception.

In full disclosue Ive spent a lot of money on UL baseweight gear, my pack,tent,bag combined is about 9lbs total. The UL stuff is expensive though, so its not fair for me to critique others setups, my bad.

Ohhh, I'm super envious.
When I first started going deep woods camping, my packs were 80#. Back in 2008, I was still lugging 45-55#. Last time I weighed, it was 35#. I'm carrying lighter gear, but I still go in loaded for bear: 100' rope / paracord / carabiners / 3 man tent, roll, bag, tarp, trauma kit, saw, axe, pistol, 3 mags, Ti cookware, 1-2 stoves & gas, clothes, etc. Years ago, I stopped carrying the rod, flies, rock hammer, ice axe and crampons....
I'm the dude, if you were to ask someone on a mountain, "do you have any Grey Poupon?" I'd toss you a jar....

 

[bbbass]

We had North Face external frame packs. They even make those anymore? Not sure how much they weighed, but the frames were aluminum, not TI. Would internal frame packs be lighter?

Anyway, I thought a Cabela's 3man tent was good enough. It had a full fly with a really nice vestibule in the the back. We put our boots there to keep them dry, and during inclement weather we could cook back there. Weight = 8lbs IIRC. REI bag = 4lb. REI Qualofil comforter in squash sac (the wife gets cold) = 2lb... this saved our butts once when we hiked up to Eagle Lake. The day was sloppy with drizzle and the climb up to the lake had us soaked with sweat inside our rain gear. We set up camp around 2pm and got inside the tent, in the bags, comforter over that, and space blankets on the inside. Still not getting warm, we made some hot pasta. Still not getting warm I peeked outside and there was 3" of snow on the ground. Thinking an overnight was out of the question since we couldn't get warm, we broke camp and hiked 12mi back out to the trailhead. Crossing streams and walking over softball sized rocks broke my cheap Hi-Tec boots down to where I was walking on the sides of them and by the time we got home it was 9pm. The next day was 90F outside at home in the sun but my feet felt like claws and never did recover. I bought $250 Italian boots after that but the damage was already done.

 

[Koda]

....but the memories are priceless.


Maybe when I get home I can dig up my gear list and exact weigts. I know my 2 man shelter is only 2.5lbs.

 

[bbbass]

On the way to Rock Creek Lake


With my brother getting ready to fly into Red's Horse Ranch


Little known lake near Red's


Deschutes River


Roughin it on the Deschutes


She said "last one to the car buys the beer"


On the way to...

 

[bbbass]

 

[Wolf256]

My first semi-auto purchase was a Sig Sauer SP 2022 in .40. The mags come in 10 or 12 round capacity. It is a polymer pistol and relatively light. The cost is about half of a Sig 1911, but about half the weight too.

Sorry folks, I'm a Sig gal. I bought the hubby a Glock 42 for concealed and we both hate it. One of these days I'll get it up for sale.

 

[DeltaSteve]

Say what you like, but i'd find the lightest 10mm, bears and large mountian lions/cats are the most deadly foe.

 

[otterpilot]

I lived in Alaska for sometime and flew quite a bit in the back country.
More than a few guides are carrying 10mm Glocks.
Cheap to buy, not that heavy and 15 rounds of 10mm will put an end to almost any confrontation you can think of. If you need more it's just a mag drop away.
Cheers and good walking

 

[kod38]

GP100
.357 mag
I am generally not a wheel gun guy, but you cannot beat a wheel gun in .357 for the ability to pull and shoot in a hurry without thought as that cougar is about to pounce.

 

[Mainsail]

On the way to Rock Creek Lake

How many days in a row pass that you don't wish you still had the Jeep?

Way cool jeep and picture.

 

[EPS]

These threads go on for days even months and the last one I read makes sense and this is like the 18th thread about what kind of gun to carry hiking GET A CHEST RIG AND PUT A SMITH AND WESSON 357 MAG IN IT AND GO HIKING PROBLEM SOLVED

 

[DirectDrive]

Nice pics bbbass !

Alpenlite external frame here....still in service
1950 Willys wagon L-head (ol' man's)
1968 Jeepster Commando Buick V-6 (ol' man's)
1957 CJ5 F-head converted for Ford 302 (mine)
1962 Willys wagon 327 Chev
1985 Jeep Cherokee V-6
1999 Grand Cherokee 4L
Have a Taco now (not bad)